Ethnic festivals across China lighten up August (2)

Qiyuexiang

Qiyuexiang, literally "Fragrance of July," is a festival celebrated by the Zhuang ethnic group in Lianshan Zhuang and Yao Autonomous County, south China's Guangdong Province.

Falling on the seventh day of the seventh month in the Chinese Lunar Calendar, it is linked to a legend of the seven daughters of the Queen Mother in Heaven bathing in the Milky Way. Locals believe that at noon on this day, celestial waters mingle with earthly rivers, making them exceptionally cool and pure. People gather to bathe and play in the rivers, praying for good health, longevity, and good fortune.